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Does Anyone Take a Checkbook When They Leave Home?

pedro47

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The Commander in Chief, is now using her IPad to FaceTime with relatives and friends. LOL.
 

Quiet Pine

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The only person we pay by check is the cleaning lady.
I use checks to pay the cleaning lady, the woman who cuts my hair, the guy who came this morning to set up my new computer, I think the credit card charges merchants about 3%, and I'd rather save them the fee. I mostly tip in cash so the employer is not involved.
 

AnnaS

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Many merchants are now charging us the 3% - :rolleyes:
 

Talent312

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Many merchants are now charging us the 3%.

Not in my neck of the woods. To them, it's just a cost of doing business.
I have seen some construction contractors do that for jobs over $1,000.
 

bobby

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Yes. Discounts at dentist. Contractors. Taxes . Birthday checks. It saves some merchants 3% so timeshare bill requires check for maintenance fee. And rotary phones work fine.
 

avad88

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No checkbook but I carry one in my wallet for the dentist, doctor, etc that charges an added fee for credit cards. Our timeshare company charges an added fee of 5%, which is ridiculous.
As retirees, we like to get the cash back on our credit card so we use it whoever possible.
 

DebBrown

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I rarely write checks but I do keep up the register. DH is not computer savvy and he likes to look at the checkbook. Whatever...
 

Deb & Bill

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We get a discount from the AC guy when we pay by check. Our water utility just went from requiring mail-in payment to electronic checks. I carry a checkbook in my purse for those weird times when they don't accept cards and I seldom carry cash. And I balance the checkbook about twice a month. In an electronic check register that gives me some good printouts to use for taxes.
 

chunkygal

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MVC Kauai, Wioahai

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Always. Live in a small rural town and most restaurants, merchants...prefer cause they don’t have to pay fees on checks. But then again, I also write letters, use stamps, have a landline. Not a total luddite. I do online bill pay. But here, the fastest internet speed available in 3 yes 3mps. But I have a waterfall in the backyard and a view of the Appalachian’s that won’t quit.
 

klkaylor

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In the US yes I carry my checkbook - on international trips no. I only use checks for taxes - cant get the IRS or FTB in CA to deal with Quicken - however it does work for all of my property taxes. I think we ordered our last set of check 12 yrs ago an are about to need another small order to get us through till....
 

Larry M

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Exactly what I do. Sometimes it comes in handy if I owe a small amount to a Doctor above the amount covered by insurance...

George
Ha! My doctor refuses to take checks--even ones the bank issues for me. I will ONLY take plastic or green stuff.
 

Cyberc

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Hands down I never had a checkbook and I never will. In my country you can’t even get one. Banks have decided that no one are able to write checks as of 2016.

checks are obsolete and honestly I never saw the real need for them as we have a credit card.

Same goes with a fax no one really uses them anymore and in my country if you ask anyone between 13-25 Yo they don’t know what a check or a fax is :)
 

DeniseM

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What is this "Leave Home" that you speak of?
 

Talent312

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What is this "Leave Home" that you speak of?

Ha! ... Good one.

I tried writing a check at the tax collector's office last year but messed it up...
I dated it "11/01/20." I crossed out the "20" and wrote "19" (which I initialed).
The clerk pointed out that I could have just added a "19" to the "20"... DOH!
This is one reason why I don't carry checks. Cash and CC's don't mess up.
.

.
 

Dorothy

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Several years back I read an newspaper article about being able to request your billing date on CC accounts. It made sense. I called every one of our CC cards and had the closing billing date set for the first of of the month. Our income from pensions/SS comes in on or before the first. Everything is paperless, and I get notifications that new statements are out there. I just go on line about the 2nd/3rd and run though my master list of CC and Bank Accounts, printing what is neccessary, balancing the receipts on each card, then using Bill Pay from the Checking Account to pay them all off at once. Takes about 45 minutes. Easy money in and easy money out. Makes it easy not to miss anything, an no worries about mail in the roadside mailbox, especially when on vacation out of town. Maybe 5 checks a year now, and only when they refuse to take credit cards.
 

Glynda

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Brewster Green (two weeks).
Always. Live in a small rural town and most restaurants, merchants...prefer cause they don’t have to pay fees on checks. But then again, I also write letters, use stamps, have a landline. Not a total luddite. I do online bill pay. But here, the fastest internet speed available in 3 yes 3mps. But I have a waterfall in the backyard and a view of the Appalachian’s that won’t quit.

Do merchants have to pay a fee if you use a debit card?
 

dioxide45

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Do merchants have to pay a fee if you use a debit card?
Yes, but it is significantly less than fees on credit card purchases.
 

bbodb1

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Ken555

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Yes, but it is significantly less than fees on credit card purchases.

Most online stores (especially small businesses) pay the same amount for any type of credit card or debit card. Retail stores save when the consumer uses a debit card.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Talent312

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... I called every one of our CC cards and had the closing billing date set for the first of of the month. Our income from pensions/SS comes in on or before the first. Everything is paperless, and I get notifications that new statements are out there. I just go online about the 2nd/3rd...

We have 7 CC's (usually 4 billed). Mine all close ~22nd (due the 17th next).
Thus, I can map our cash flow and get payments approved by DW (the CFO).


.
 

coachBoris

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I still use the checkbook register to balance my account even with online banking, it can be delayed with pending charges so I like to keep an accurate balance. I do carry my checkbook when I travel, not sure why but I do. Old school and proud of it.
 

Talent312

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... I do carry my checkbook when I travel, not sure why but I do.

When was the last time you wrote a check while traveling?
I haven't written a check while on the road in ~10 years.
ATM's are ubiquitous.
 
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